Imran Khan in a ‘death cell’: Why ex-Pak PM’s sons want Trump to intervene

Qasim and Sulaiman Khan, the sons of imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, have made a public appeal, urging US President Donald Trump and “people of influence” around to world to step in and support their father’s release.

Both British citizens, the two have largely stayed out of the spotlight—until now. Speaking out for the first time, they said they had “exhausted” all legal and diplomatic avenues and felt compelled to break their silence.

“We couldn’t stay quiet any longer,” Sulaiman said. “We’ve never spoken before, but seeing what he’s going through, we couldn’t stay quiet,” Qasim added.

In an interview with citizen journalist Mario Nawfal, shared widely on social media, the brothers then spoke candidly about their father’s arrest and conviction. They said their father was being held on “trumped-up charges,” and pointed to what they described as a broader “suppression of democracy” in Pakistan.

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Here’s what they had to say.

Imran Khan lodged in ‘death cell’

Qasim and Sulaiman Khan have painted a grim picture of their father’s life behind bars, claiming Imran Khan is being held in complete isolation inside what they described as a “death cell.”

“He doesn’t have access to the outside world, no access to doctors, and has been in prolonged solitary confinement,” said Sulaiman, the elder son. “Court mandates we speak to him once every week, but we speak to him once in two or three months.”

Imran Khan, once hailed as a national hero for leading Pakistan to a cricket World Cup victory, is currently serving a 14-year sentence in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi in a corruption case. Detained since August 2023, the 72-year-old faces over 100 charges, including accusations of corruption and mishandling state secrets — all of which he denies, calling them “politically motivated.”

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Their mother and Khan’s former wife, Jemima Goldsmith , had also spoken out last October. She accused the Shehbaz Sharif-led government of cutting off Khan’s access to lawyers and family, even severing electricity to his prison cell.

“He is now completely isolated, in solitary confinement, literally in the dark, with no contact with the outside world,” the film producer, who was married to Khan from 1995 to 2004, posted on X.

Qasim echoed his mother’s account, adding that Khan was kept “in the pitch black” for ten days. He said the family wanted “international pressure” on Pakistan because their father is “currently living in inhumane conditions”.

“They are not giving him [Imran Khan] basic human rights,” Qasim said. “It is basically for human rights of not only our father but also other political prisoners and the restoration of proper democracy in Pakistan.”

Earlier, Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has also consistently raised concerns about the conditions he is being held in and submitted multiple petitions to the Islamabad High Court on the matter.

‘We seek Trump’s help to free our father’

In the interview, Qasim and Sulaiman have appealed to US President Donald Trump and other towering figures around the globe to help their father walk free.

“We’d love to speak to Trump or try and figure out a way where he would be able to help out in some way,” Qasim said. “Because at the end of the day, all we are trying to do is free our father, bring democracy in Pakistan and just ensure his basic human rights.”

Sulaiman echoed the call, urging “people of influence” around the world to raise their voices for Khan’s release.

“I think that would be huge, just to create a bit more noise because it’s definitely gone a bit quiet recently,” he said. “We would love people to reach out to us if they have some influence or potential to help with this situation.”

When asked about speculation that Khan might strike a deal with the government to secure his release, Qasim dismissed the idea outright.

“I just don’t see him taking a deal like that to save his skin. He’s a very principled person … I don’t think he’ll just take a deal while other people are sitting in cells on his behalf, his supporters,” he said.

Both brothers admitted they deeply miss their father, but what hurts more, they said, is “seeing a nation lose the man who gave everything for it”.

“He always told us: if you stand for truth, you’ll pay a price. We’re seeing that now,” Qasim said.

With input from agencies